A Light in the Darkness
by oOLittle OneOo
Summary: His mother wasn't the only thing Ichigo lost that day. How would the loss of Ichigo's eyes impact the Bleach world we all know so well? This is my take of the story. Stronger/Wiser Ichigo.
1. Chapter 1, A Blind Strawberry of Death

Hello Ladies and Gentlemen,  
Welcome to my first attempt of writing a Bleach fic.

For those of you who know my previous work, this may be a bit different than whay your used to.  
The begining will be very much like the original and I'm going to attemptto stick to the main storyline dispite the changes I've made to Ichigo.

Well I hope I've done ok, so enjoy and please don't forget to review!

Disclaimer: I DONT OWN BLEACH OR ANY OF ITS CHARACTERS!

* * *

_If we are meant to fear that which we cannot see,  
am I meant to fear everything?_

* * *

"What the...!? you come here and stomp Li'l Yama and order us out like we're dogs?! You got a death wish you crazy punk? Speak!" yelled one of the skaters as Ichigo lazily rubbed the back of his head.

_Ichigo 'Strawberry' Kurosaki,  
15 years old  
Hair: Orange  
Eyes: Brown  
Occupation: High School Student  
Special Skill:..._

"Say something you- Oof!" grunted the skater as Ichigo kicked him in the face, effectively shutting the punk up. The three other skaters in the background winced and began to back away, "He dropped Li'l Toshi!"

"This is messed up... real messed up. That's one blood thirsty berry head."

"I heard he's blind, but that guys a stone-cold killer! Mess with him and he'll KILL ya!"

Ichigo growled in the back of his throat and slammed his foot down onto the punk's back. If there was one thing he couldn't stand it was the rumours. "Shut up! Look at that, all of you!" he yelled pointing behind him at the broken vase that had once held some flowers.

"Question One! What is that!" he asked. "You! The smelly one in the middle! Tell me." He said facing the skater punk, staring at him coldly.

"Huh, me?" he muttered, "Umm... an offering for some dead kid?" he asked only to be kicked in the face.

"Well, lookie here! Smellies got a brain!" yelled Ichigo pushing his heel into the punks shoulder

"Li'l Mitch!"

"Question Two!" he muttered stepping off the punk and turning his back on the last two.

"Li'l Mitch, you ok Li'l Mitch?!" asked the punks bending over their fallen member only to freeze and turn around when they felt a cold aura behind them.

"Why is that vase, lying on its side...?" hissed Ichigo, his dead eyes staring angrily into their own.

_Ichigo 'Strawberry' Kurosaki,  
15 years old  
Hair: Orange  
Eyes: Brown  
Occupation: High School Student  
Special Skill:_

The punks swallowed audibly, "B-because... w-we knocked it over with our skate... boards?" muttered one timidly.

Ichigo nodded understandingly and slowly turning to face them fully. "Is that so..." he muttered only for his frown to turn into a deadly grin, "Well then,"

_He can see ghosts_

"You better apologize to HER hadn't you!" he said smoothly pointing over his shoulder to a young girl with a bloodied face, staring at the boys with a dazed look spreading across her young face.

"Aaaaaagghh!" they screamed before running off. "We're sorry! We're sorry! Don't hurt us! We'll never do it again!"

Ichigo scoffed, "Well... I don't think they'll be back for a while." He said turning to face the bright aura that illuminated the usual darkness he otherwise saw. "Sorry I had to use you like that..." said the blind teen.

"That's ok. I asked you to get rid of 'em. I was glad to help." said the young ghost cheerily hovering a few feet away. "If you don't mind my asking though, how could you see them... I thought you were blind." asked the young girl shyly.

Ichigo froze for a moment and mulled over his answer, "Just because I'm blind, doesn't mean I can't still 'see'." He muttered rubbing the back of his head thoughtfully before chuckling as he sensed the young ghosts' confusion. "I'll bring you some fresh flowers tomorrow." He said as he begun to walk away.

"Ok, thank you. Now I can rest in peace..." she said smiling brightly. Ichigo gave her a soft smile, "No problem, you rest in peace now ok."

* * *

_It's true, I can see and talk to ghosts. _

_My family runs the local clinic. We're entrusted with the lives of the living.  
While I, I am entrusted with the lives of the dead. _

_I was born with the ability to see the souls of the departed.  
Now, even though my sight was taken from me, I still see them. _

* * *

Walking calmly towards the entrance to the Kurosaki residence, Ichigo opened the front door. "I'm home..." he muttered stepping through the doorway only to be kicked into the wall.

"Your late! Do you know what time it delinquent! Dinner at this house is at 7 O'clock sharp, every night! Where have yo-... Ichigo?" pausing mid rant, Isshin slowly inched towards his son who was still laying face down on the floor.

"Ichigo...?" he asked kneeling down only to be slugged in the face by his not-to-happy son.

"Jerk! Is that how you greet your son who just helped a ghost find a bit of peace in this world!" he yelled looming angrily above his father.

"There are no excuses Ichigo!" yelled Isshin now that he had recovered.

"The rules of my house are Iron! You break them and you gotta bleed!" he yelled. "Or maybe you're trying to rub into my face that you can see ghosts and I can't despite of your condition! Why can't I have the gift! Why!?" he yelled pouting like a five year old who was refused his favourite toy.

"Shut up! I didn't ask for any of this! It just happened!" he yelled storming towards the kitchen, long having memorised the layout of his house (not to mention most of the city) to where his two twin sisters were sitting.

Even though the two were fraternal twins, they were complete opposites. Karin was more of a tom-boy and had black hair, while Yuzu had taken over the role of 'Mom' when Misaki died and was a shining blond.

"Please stop fighting. Dinners getting cold." Chastised Yuzu with her hands placed on her hips. Karin scoffed, "Let them fight Yuzu, leaves more for us." She muttered with her chopsticks in her mouth.

"The rules in this house are way too strict, old man!" he yelled over his shoulder before approaching Karin and Yuzu, "I'm going up stairs. Night you two." He muttered softly, kissing both on the top of their head before turning round and heading to the stairs.

Yuzu sighed, "Oh Ichigo..." she muttered shaking her head. Karin turned to Isshin who had just walked into the kitchen, "He left, it's your fault dad..."

Isshin frowned and then pouted, "What did I do?!" he asked innocently. Yuzu turned around to face him. "You know he doesn't like to talk about his conditions dad. Ichigo's been under a lot of pressure lately!"

"He told me that more souls than ever have been haunting him, and he's fed up!" she said crossing her arms across her chest. Isshin looked shocked, "What?! He talks about stuff like that with you!?" he yelled. Yuzu sighed, "I guess I'll take some supper up to his room later then."

"That boy... Why doesn't he come to ME with his problems?!" ranted Isshin. Karin scoffed, "Are you serious? I wouldn't bring my problems to you either. You are over 40, yet you have the emotional maturity of a pre-schooler."

Isshin gasped and wobbled over to a giant memorial poster of Misaki and began crying crocodile-tears. "Aw... my dear wife... Maybe it's because they hit puberty, but our daughters treat me like dirt... What should I do?" he moaned.

"First take down that stupid memorial picture." muttered Karin under her breath.

* * *

Ichigo sighed and closed the door to his room gently behind him. "Geez, why is my family so weird...?" he muttered before he felt a shift in the air around his room as something flew through his window. Turning his head he noticed the deep red aura that usually represented a certain kind of soul flitter into his bedroom.

'_Hmm strange... feels like a butterfly. Wonder what they're doing here...'_

Suddenly the aura grew larger and there was a soft thud as if someone about Yuzu's size had just landed on his floor. "What the..." he muttered. Only to hear the person slowly walk across the room towards him, "Its close..." she muttered, her voice now confirming her to be a girl.

Ichigo scowled and kicked her across the room. "How's that for close, jerk!" he yelled at the spirit. "What the hell are you doing in my room?! Haven't you Shinigami ever heard of privacy!" he yelled not caring that his father and sisters could probably hear him from down stairs.

"You... you can see me?! And... you kicked me!" she muttered in shock from the corner of the room where she had landed. Ichigo snorted, "Yeah I can see you, bright as day! What are you doing here?" he asked gazing at the red aura that illuminated the girl.

Suddenly Ichigo's door flew open and Isshin few in, kicking Ichigo in the back. "Quiet boy, stop jumping around up here!" he yelled only to be thrown off Ichigo's back. "Shut up old man! I'm trying to take care of ghost business here!" yelled Ichigo, literally throwing his father out of his room.

Sighing, Ichigo moved back to his bed and made himself comfortable leaning up against the wall. "I know you aren't a normal spirit, they have a white aura, your's is red. So, what is a Shinigami doing in my room?"

The spirit seemed stunned, "You can see our souls?" she asked seemingly interested.

Ichigo scoffed, "Yea right, I wish. I'm blind." He muttered.

"Blind! Then how-"

"I can only see the aura of the ghosts, not their real forms. You're a Shinigami; I've seen you're type of red aura before. Anyway, you still haven't answered my question; what are you doing here." He said playing ignorant for the last time.

Rukia scowled "My name is Kuchiki Rukia, I'm here to hunt down evil spirits called Hollows that devour human souls."

Ichigo snorted, "I know what hollows are." He muttered slipping something out of his pocket. "I'm going to have to thank Ji-san for this..." he said before slamming a badge to his chest.

Rukia watched on in disbelief as Ichigo's human body went limp and his soul emerged dressed in a Shinigami robe a giant cleaver wrapped in bandages on his back. "You sound no older than me, but I know from experience that age can be deceiving." He muttered. "An incident with a hollow took my eyes when I was seven years old. I've been trained as a soul reaper since I was ten."

Rukia was speechless. "Why haven't I heard about this?! I was told no one else from Soul Society was going to be here!"

"That's because I'm not from Soul Society; I'm a human with the properties of a Shinigami. I work for Urahara."

Rukia's eyes shot open. "Urahara Kisuke! How do you know him?!" she yelled.

Ichigo felt like rolling his non-seeing eyes, "He's my godfather; he helped me through my blindness and taught me about the Shinigami."

Now it was Rukia's turn to scoff, "Oh really. Well why don't I sense any reiatsu then."

"You want reiatsu? Here's your reiatsu."

As if a doorway was opened, a powerful wave of power flooded over Rukia, knocking the breath out of her before the rhetorical door was shut once again. "Now you see why I keep it concealed?" asked Ichigo adjusting his human body more comfortably onto the bed.

"But, but how? Without Seiratei knowing all this time?!" stuttered Rukia, then noticing how Ichigo suddenly became more alert. "Later!" he hissed before vaulting out of the window.

"What the..." muttered Rukia before suddenly hearing a Hollow roaring just outside. Realizing that that was the reason Ichigo had suddenly disappeared, she marvelled at the boy's abilities.

'_He's not even an official Shinigami... how could he have sensed that hollow before me?' _

Jumping towards the window, Rukia stood on the roof watching the scene in front of her. Ichigo had drawn his blade and had just cut through the hollows arm.

"What the hell do you think you're trying to do to my family you damn hollow!" he yelled furiously, landing in a defensive position in front of the Clinic. Raising his blade he released a wave of raitsu, "Getsuga Tenshou!" In a flash of brilliant light the hollow was split in two and dispersed into nothing more than spirit particles.

Bringing down his cleaver Ichigo stroked its blade lovingly, cleansing the blade of any hollow remains and whispered softly to it, his dead eyes showing a hint of sadness before they were overwhelmed with pride.

"My, my Kurosaki-san! It looks like you have beat me again!" said a jovial voice from the shadows.

Looking up, Ichigo lowered his blade. "No shit! This is my house! Is that you Urahara?" he asked before the man stepped out of the shadows.

"Indeed it is! Why don't we all go to my place for a cup of tea? That means you too Miss Kuchiki. I'm sure you have a few questions you want to ask." He said cheerily opening his fan.

Rukia stood open mouthed in the window for a moment before Urahara called up to her once again, "Catching enough flies up there!?" he chuckled. Rukia instantly closed her mouth noticing that Ichigo had come back into the room and finished carefully adjusting his human body so it was tucked under the covers of his bed. Frowning, Rukia followed Ichigo out the window and into the dark night.

* * *

Urahara smiled cheerily, "So who would like some tea?" he asked waving Tessai forward.

Ichigo just smiled and nodded, "Sure." He said before turning towards Rukia's aura, "Tessai makes good tea; try some." He said.

Rukia nodded and Tessai left the room. Only once he had left did Rukia slam her hand down on the table.

"Urahara, you have a lot of explaining to do!" she yelled only to point to Ichigo when he snickered, "And so do you! For one, how did you become a Shinigami if you aren't dead and how hasn't Soul Society found out about you yet!"

Ichigo and Urahara smirked simultaneously, "Trade Secret." said Urahara cheerfully, "As to your first question you're going to have to ask Ichigo, it's his business whether he chooses to tell you or not." He said grimly. Turning to Ichigo, Rukia was about to rant at him again when she saw that the grin that had been on his face had been replaced by a sorrowful frown.

"Ichigo?" she asked. The orangette raised his head; his non-seeing eyes seemed to stare right through her. After a few tense moments Ichigo stood up and turned away, walking into one of the many rooms the Shoten had to offer.

"It seems that you will not be getting your answers today Miss Kuchiki. I bid you a good night." said Urahara folding up his fan and making his way out of the room.

"Wait! What about my question?" said Rukia.

"It's not my place to say what happened... Ichigo may choose to tell you then again he may also choose not to." Urahara opened his fan back up and grinned down at Rukia from behind it.

"I'll need to inform Soul Society about this. Such an incident has never been heard of so they'll want to know what happened." Scowled Rukia taking out her phone only to have it snatched off her.

"Hey-!"

"I'm afraid I can't let you do that Rukia-san. Ichigo wants nothing to do with Soul Society. We both know how they treat what's different." said Urahara darkly. "I will not have Ichigo brought to the mercy of the Shinigami."

"It is my duty to report all strange happening's which I encounter in the human world, this one definitely counts as strange!" cried Rukia reaching for her phone which Urahara was currently holding above his head.

"Alright then, how about we make a deal?"

Rukia paused in her struggle to retrieve her phone and crossed her arms over her chest. "What kind of deal?"

"Well you'll just have to listen to me to find out wont you?" smiled Urahara from behind his fan.

Rukia scowled but nodded regardless, "Alright then, let's hear this deal."

* * *

Alrighty then!  
Let me know what you all thought!

Was it good, was it shit, was it down right horrible?  
Let me know alright? I like reviews even if they're bad; lets me know what I'm doing wrong!

Bai Bai!


	2. Chapter 2, A New Twist

Hello Everyone!  
Welcome to the next chapter of A Light in the Darkness!

First off I'd like to thank _Maverick14th_ for informing me about a few of my mistakes in the last chapter. THANK YOU!  
I'd also like to warn you guys now that the order of event's I'm following is not the same as the Manga/Anime,  
so don't be alarmed if things are a little out of order.

Thank you to everyone else who reviewed! I got lots of good feed back!  
Lets get on with the story!

* * *

"GOOOD MORNING ICHIGOOO!"

Ichigo sighed and ducked under his father's foot, waiting for the loud crash which signalized that Isshin had hit the pavement.

"You know," he mumbled. "The first few hundred times that you did these 'sneak attacks', it was really annoying. Now... it's just lame." yawned Ichigo standing up and making his way over to his wardrobe, feeling out his school uniform.

"I have nothing left to teach you my son!"

-Karakura High School-

Ichigo sighed as he walked into his homeroom. He could already hear Keigo complaining about something; probably the fact that he could never get any girl to go out with him...

"G... Good morning Ichigo!"

Ichigo turned to his left, "Oh good morning Orihime. You're happy as usual." He commented as he took a seat at his desk near the window. Even if he couldn't see the view, it was still nice to feel the sun on his face.

"Son of a... are you Kurosaki? Nice to meet you!"

Ichigo paused at the strange language the girl had used before frowning and turning to face the voice. "What are you doing here?" he flat panned.

Mizuiro felt this was an appropriate time to pop into the conversation. "Oh, this is Rukia Kuchiki. She started here yesterday. It's a bit of an unusual time to transfer schools but her family had to move." He chirped.

"Yeah, we met on the street yesterday." said Ichigo pulling his brail-written books out of his bag and trying to ignore the Shinigami in disguise next to him.

"Ichigo, I don't have any supplies yet, but seeing as you only have ones in brail, would you mind accompanying me to the library so I can acquire my own? I would be very grateful you son of a..."

Ichigo's brow twitched.

"Ichigo would love to! He shows all the new kids around!" exclaimed Mizuiro happily.

Ichigo sighed in defeat. "Fine; come with me." muttered Ichigo standing from his seat and walking up to the homeroom teacher to excuse himself and Rukia from the class.

* * *

Walking through the hallways with Ichigo was much more awkward than Rukia has thought it would be; she had already started trying three conversations but Ichigo had shot them all down without a word.

Just as she opened her mouth to attempt starting a fourth, Ichigo cut across her.

"I don't know what Urahara may have told you, but I want nothing to do with you Shinigami. All I'm doing is showing you where you can find your books then I'm heading back to class." He said turning a corner with flawless accuracy.

"And before you ask, my reasons are none of your business."

Rukia scowled. "And why not! Soul Society has a right to know that a human has gained Shinigami powers right under their nose! By law, no human should be allowed to take part in Shinigami affairs, which includes the hunting of hollows!"

"Now you listen here Shinigami!" hissed Ichigo stopping in the middle of the hallway and turning to face the Kuchiki heiress. "What do you think your kind will do to me, to my family, if they found out I have Shinigami powers? I will not allow my family to be in danger of extermination." He growled lowly.

Ichigo straightened up and sighed. After a few moments of total silence while Rukia tried to digest what just happened Ichigo spoke up, this time calmly and composed. "This is the library; you can find the textbooks you need here. Just tell them you're new and they'll help you with everything you need. I trust you can find your own way back to class." He said before walking off the way they had come.

"Extermination...?"

* * *

Ichigo sighed as he settled himself down on the rooftop of the school.

That Shinigami had been following him around all day. For what reasons he had no idea but each time he performed konso on a soul or slay a Hollow, he sense feel her hovering right over his shoulder.

Why couldn't that damned Shinigami leave well enough alone.

"Hey Ichigo!"

Ichigo raised his head, "Hey Mizuiro. Hmmm? Who'd you bring with you?" he asked hearing an extra pair of footsteps.

"Oh I brought Rukia with me! You remember her don't you? I thought she was looking kinda lonely so I thought she might as well come sit with us." said Mizuiro taking a seat next to Ichigo.

"Oh, I see. You better watch out Rukia. He may look like a dork, but Mizuiro is a real player." smirked Ichigo.

Mizuiro sighed. "Stop! Your ruining my rep. Anyway, I only go for older women; I'm harmless to girls my age." He shrugged.

"... Like I said. Watch out."

Ichigo smirked to himself for a while before he heard the roof door screech open. "What's up? Mind if I join you guys?" ask Keigo as he walked across the roof. Ichigo shook his head and called a greeting before he leaned back against the rail to soak in the sun.

"Hey, has anyone seen Chad lately?" asked Keigo scanning the rooftop for any sign of the friendly giant.

Ichigo frowned. Now that he thought about it he hadn't 'seen' Chad in a few days now.

"Woah! Is that the beautiful new girl I see?!" called Keigo.

Ichigo nodded, "Yeah Mizuiro brought her up here." he commented. Keigo gasped in shock.

"Mizuiro! It's bad enough that you get all the hot older women but now you have to go after the younger ones! Shame on you! Don't be so greedy!" chastised Keigo before turning to Rukia.

"Greetings! I'm Keigo Asano! Welcome to this garden of Manliness!" he announced striking a 'manly' pose.

Ichigo sighed and leaned back against the rail and resisted the urge to chuckle when Keigo commented that their little gathering on the roof was 'like a party'.

"Yeah we've got all the good stuff; juice, milk, yakisoba, bread. Would you like me to keep going?"

"Shut up!" wined Keigo before suddenly grunting and, from what Ichigo heard, stumbled forward.

"Ow man! What the... fu...!"

Ichigo frowned when Keigo didn't continue and sat up, opening his eyes.

"Hey Kurosaki..."

"Oh Oshima. Off suspension already are you?" asked Ichigo nonchalantly reaching for his lunch and taking a bit of what tasted like a sweet-bread bun.

"Don't talk down on me punk. When you gonna dye that carrot-piss hair black? Why you always trying to look like me!"

Ichigo 'looked' up at the tall man before him. "Well actually I'm talking up at you, and as I keep telling you, this is my natural hair colour. From what I can gather I don't look anything like you. Now fly away, drag queen... before you piss me off." muttered Ichigo.

"Drag queen! Why you...!"

Ichigo stood up but before he could make a move towards Oshima, now dubbed 'drag queen', someone quickly stepped in front of Ichigo.

"Whoa whoa whoa! No fighting! Ok guys!" chucked Keigo nervously.

"Haha! Just look at you Kurosaki! You need your little bitch to protect you, hu?" he barked before pushing Keigo out of the way.

Ichigo scowled and helped Keigo to his feet before facing Oshima.

"I don't really like you knocking around my friends like that." He muttered. "Keigo knows I can look after myself. I think he was more worried about you actually. After all, I don't think any of us are too keen to carry you down those stairs when you pass out."

"Hmph! I knew there would be a day I'd have to set you straight." sneered Oshima reaching into his school blazer and pulling out a pair of brass knuckles.

"We'll see who's thtronger!"

Ichigo sweat dropped at the fumble. "If you're going to try and threaten me, at least get your pronunciation right. Repeat after me: S-tron-ger. Now you say it!"

"Why you! It's too late to apologise now! I'm gonna...!"

Ichigo smirked as he heard the drag queen hit the wall. "Hey Chad, I was wondering when you were going to show up." Greeted Ichigo sitting back down and continuing his lunch.

Keigo walked up to Chad and began to chastise him on his throw yet thank him all the same for his help.

Ichigo suddenly sat up, "Chad, have you got someone with you?" he asked, sensing a child-like soul behind Chad. A brief rattling was heard before Keigo spoke up.

"Hu? You've got a bird?"

"Hello! My name is Yuichi Shibata! What's your name?"

* * *

There it is everyone! I hope you all enjoyed it!  
I look forward to hearing from you all!


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